POLYCHLORINATED BIP
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FACT SHEET ON A DRINKING WATER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANT
GENERAL INFORMATION
Synonyms:
•	PCBs; Chlorinated Biphenyls
•	Trade Names: Kanechlor; Clophen; Arochlor;
Dykanol; Naflanol; Chlorentol; Inefteen;
Thermino!
Chemical Daicription:
« Mixture of aromatic chlorinated organic
compounds with 209 possible isomers
•	Produced by direct chlorination of biphenyls,
and the degree of chlorination determines the
chemical properties of the mixture
Properties:
•	Individual PCBs vary in their physical properties
because the degree of chlorination deter-
mines the chemical properties of the
compound, but all have the following:
•	very low water solubility
•	low vapor pressure
• volatility increases with decreasing
chlorination
•	low ftammability
•	low electrical conductivity
•	high degree of thermal and chemical
stability
•	heavier than wafer
•	May exist in the form of a practically odorless,
colorless oily liquid or viscous liquid or sticky
resin
Production and Hi#;
•	Used primarily in the electrical industry in
capacitors and transformers prior to 1979,
when the EPA banned most manufacturing,
processing, distribution, and use of PCBs
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE
Occurratnes:
•	Not expected to be a common contaminant
of drinking water supplies
•	Exist in the atmosphere in the vapor phase due
' to volatilization and transport as an aerosol
Releases:
•	Currently, the only environmental releases are
from spills or from improper disposal of existing
electrical equipment
Environmental Fate:
•	Persistant in the environment:
•	extremely stable under norma!
environmental conditions; only undergo
chemical oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, or
isomerizafion under extreme conditions
•	will volatilize to the atmosphere from soil
surface and most surface waters
•	the more volatile PCBs will accumulate 
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Experimental Animals:
•	Causes liver and kidney damage, severe
weight loss, eye discharges, and interference
with some metabolic processes; may also
have immunosuppressive effects
•	Has teratogenic effects (causes growth
retardations during pregnancy, and
reproductive failure)
•	High carcinogenic potential
REGULATORY PROFILE
Existing Standards:
•Clean Air Act (CAA): Not regulated
•Clean Water Act (CWA):
Criteria established
•Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA):
Not regulated
•Superfund (CERCLA):
•Hazardous substance
•SARA: Toxic chemical
•Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticlde Act (FIFRA):
Registered
•Toxic Substances Control Aet (TSCA):
Regulated
HEALTH INFORMATION
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal* (MCLG):
•	Non-enforceable levels based solely on an
evaluation of possible health risks and
exposure, and taking into consideration a
margin for public safety
•	Set at zero mg/L to protect against cancer
MCLG for PCB$ = Zero mg/L
(effective July 1992)
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL):
« legally enforceable levels for contaminants in
public drinking wafer supplies
•	Based on health risks associated with the
contaminants, analytical methods for their
assay, and water treatment feasibility and
practicality aspects
•	Exceedance of the MCL in drinking wafer may
result in adverse effects which will depend
upon the contaminant concentration in water,
amount of water/contaminant ingested,
length of exposure, and other biological
parameters
MCL for PCS* = 0.0005 mg/L
(effective July 1992)
EPA Health Advisories (HA):
•	Short-term HAs: Provide acceptable
concentrations of contaminants in water for .
up to 10 day exposures, primarily to evaluate
the public health risk resuitirg from an acc-ce~*a
spill or an emergency contamination sttua^cn
•	Longer-term HAt: Provide guidance
persistent water contamination situations *c
cover a period of up to 7 years
•	Lifetime HAt: Derived in the same wav as an
MCLG
Health Advisories:
(EPA is currently evaluating health
studies in order to issue HAs for PC3s)
ANALYTICAL METHODS
•	Microextraction and Gas Chromatography
EPA Method 505
•	Gas Chromatography with an Electron
Capture Detector
EPA Method 508 (screen)
•	Perchlorination and Gas Chromatography
EPA Method 508A (quantitate)
WATER TREATMENT
Permanent Treatment:
•	Best Available Technology (BAT):
• Granular Activated Carbon
SHORT-TERM HAZARD ELIMINATION
» If the drinking water standards are exceeded,
install BAT or us© an alternative drinking water
supply such as bottled wafer
ADDITIONAL HELP
•	State or county health officials can indicate a
certified laboratory for testing
•	Experts in th© state Department of Environ-
mental Protection or Natural Resources may
also be of help
» The EPA has toll-free numbers for further
information on drinking wafer quality,
treatment technologies, for obtaining Health
Advisories, and for other regulatory information
•	EPA Hotlines are available Monday through
Friday
•Safe Drinking Water	800-426-4791
•National Pesticides.	800-858-7378
•Superfund/RCRA:	800-424-9346
•	For information on the Clean Water Act, call
(202) 260-7301
•	For information on the Toxic Substances
Control Act, calf (202) 554-1404
•	For information on the Clean Air Act, call
(919) 541-2777
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